8700k doesn't idle when doing nothing, standard setup no o/c

[walrbe]

Guys I'm hoping you can help with a querry, I just built a new system and my cpu never sits on idle, even when I'm not doing anything.


At the moment cpu utilization is 3-5% and speed sits between 3.5-3.9GHz as I'm typing this post. Having a look at processes and there isn't much happening, main process is LightingService(32bit) and that around 3%. I'm a little confused! I haven't done anything to the bios regarding any cpu related tweeks. I want to see everything is running as it should in stock configuration before I start any tweaking.


This cpu should idle at 800Mhz shouldn't it?

for reference my build is
I7 8700k
Maximus XI Hero
2 x 8 G-skilk DDR4 3200
M.2 Samsung evo 970

[Arne_Saknussemm]

What Windows power plan do you have set?

[walrbe]

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
What Windows power plan do you have set?

Arne, I have balanced

[Silent_Scone]

walrbe wrote:
Guys I'm hoping you can help with a querry, I just built a new system and my cpu never sits on idle, even when I'm not doing anything.


At the moment cpu utilization is 3-5% and speed sits between 3.5-3.9GHz as I'm typing this post. Having a look at processes and there isn't much happening, main process is LightingService(32bit) and that around 3%. I'm a little confused! I haven't done anything to the bios regarding any cpu related tweeks. I want to see everything is running as it should in stock configuration before I start any tweaking.


This cpu should idle at 800Mhz shouldn't it?

for reference my build is
I7 8700k
Maximus XI Hero
2 x 8 G-skilk DDR4 3200
M.2 Samsung evo 970

You've almost answered your own question. If there is activity, then there will be fluctuation in the multiplier. As long as there isn't any DPC latency causing poor operation I wouldn't be too concerned.

[walrbe]

Silent Scone@ASUS wrote:
You've almost answered your own question. If there is activity, then there will be fluctuation in the multiplier. As long as there isn't any DPC latency causing poor operation I wouldn't be too concerned.

Not really my experience at least not hovering at 3.5Ghz. Unless this is how the 8700k behaves.

[Silent_Scone]

walrbe wrote:
Not really my experience at least not hovering at 3.5Ghz. Unless this is how the 8700k behaves.

What isn't your experience? As you've discovered by formatting and reinstalling, where there is activity there is fluctuation in the multiplier. Running a DPC latency checker will show if there is anything causing unessessary overhead.

[Arne_Saknussemm]

Not...sure then....if you reckon it should idle lower and never gets there sounds like something is disabling lower c states...speedstep

Is speedstep enabled in BIOS...check after xmp is set...

Any "optimizing" software of any kind?

[walrbe]

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
Not...sure then....if you reckon it should idle lower and never gets there sounds like something is disabling lower c states...speedstep

Is speedstep enabled in BIOS...check after xmp is set...

Any "optimizing" software of any kind?

I'll have to check that I haven't made any changes in bios except fan curves. I might remove ai suite and see if that affects a change.

[walrbe]

An update,

I have reinstalled Windows because I couldn't get a clean uninstall of Asus software. I also went into bios and changed c state options that were set to auto to enabled. I'm not convinced the bios changes helped but I think a fresh install did. I now idle at a 1.1Ghz according to task manager performance tab which is much better. I'm still very curious why it wont settle down to 800Mhz though, the investigation will continue.